"Takuma, the scout has returned!"
Mieko entered her husband's tent and called out softly.
Takuma, who was awaiting news, brightened and rose to greet his wife.
"What did they say?"
Mieko smiled, her eyes crinkling, and gently took her husband's hand as she sat down. She then shared the intelligence she had gathered.
"The Leaf Village has withdrawn their defenses."
"Based on the reports, the tactic you employed with the puppeteers has been effective."
"The Leaf ninjas are under immense medical pressure. Over a dozen Leaf ninjas have succumbed to poison in the past few days due to a lack of timely treatment."
Takuma slammed his fist down, his face beaming with joy.
"Excellent!"
"Tomorrow… wait until tomorrow!"
Takuma paced back and forth, his expression excited.
"Once we confirm tomorrow that the Leaf Village truly has no solution for the toxin, we will launch a fierce assault and strive to leave all of them in the deserts of the Land of Wind!"
"Then, we can return to be with Sasori sooner!"
Mieko nodded with a smile. Clearly, as a mother, her longing for her son was no less than Takuma's.
"I truly hope this war ends soon!"
...
The strong wind blew, and yellow sand swirled.
As participants in the Second Great Ninja War, and engaged in combat on two fronts simultaneously, the Sand ninja stationed at the border of the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, led by Commander Takuma, initiated the largest scale war since the conflict began against the Leaf Village.
With fifty Sharingan eyes observing, a large-scale surprise attack was out of the question.
Therefore, Hatake Sakumo was immediately informed of the Sand Village's approach. He swiftly organized his troops, arrays, and led the Leaf ninjas in waiting for the arrival of the Sand ninjas.
Across the vast expanse of wind and sand, the Leaf and Sand villages faced each other from afar.
On the Leaf side, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation. The accumulated anger from days of ambushes and assassinations finally had an outlet. Warriors flexed their muscles, eager for battle.
Among them, the Uchiha clan, whose teammates had been severely injured or died from poison, displayed the most aggressive demeanor.
Before the battle even began, some clan members couldn't resist activating their blood-red Sharingan. This reckless act immediately incited the fury of Uchiha Fugaku, who fiercely reprimanded them for pointlessly wasting chakra, thereby calming down those whose minds had been clouded by hatred and anger.
Hatake Sakumo stood at the forefront of the formation, his gaze locked onto the red-haired man leading the Sand ninjas.
"Fugaku, instruct your clan to stay away from that red-haired man during the battle."
"Anyone capable of devising such a treacherous and venomous strategy might not be matched by ordinary ninjas."
"Leave him to me!"
Uchiha Fugaku narrowed his eyes, observing the man for a moment before nodding lightly.
"The leader of the puppeteers?"
"Very well!"
"Commander, rest assured, I will restrain my clan."
"Since you will handle him personally, the other puppeteers will be dealt with by the Uchiha clan!"
Hatake Sakumo nodded slightly, his voice serious as he reiterated his instructions:
"The Uchiha clan is skilled in combat, but do not let anger cloud your judgment."
"Every ninja is a valuable asset to the village. Never, due to carelessness, lose a life in vain!"
Uchiha Fugaku felt a warmth in his heart and responded with a serious expression.
"Yes!"
While the Leaf commander exchanged strategies, the Sand village on the opposite side was also making arrangements.
"The number of Leaf ninjas is indeed fewer than before, but we cannot be too careless."
Takuma said seriously, observing the eager expressions on the faces of the Sand ninjas.
"The Uchiha clan of the Leaf Village is extremely proficient in Fire Style ninjutsu and genjutsu. In a head-on confrontation, one-on-one, you are absolutely no match for them."
Seeing some Sand ninjas wear looks of disdain, Takuma snorted.
"Do not think I am trying to scare you!"
"Do you truly believe your strength surpasses theirs just because you've managed to defeat some Uchiha members through surprise attacks?"
"To have survived since the Warring States period, and to still hold the title of the Leaf's strongest clan, the Uchiha's combat prowess far exceeds your imagination."
"When we engage in battle later, the regular ninjas should avoid the Uchiha clan and leave them to the puppeteers."
"Remember, do not make eye contact with them!"
Seeing Takuma's serious demeanor, the Sand ninjas' hearts tightened, and they meticulously remembered his instructions.
"Regular ninjas advance, puppeteers provide cover, attack!"
With an order, the Sand ninjas marched forward rapidly with organized steps.
"Prepare!"
Hatake Sakumo gripped his sword hilt, his eyes calmly watching the advancing Sand forces.
"Wind Style ninjas forward, Uchiha clan in the rear."
"Explosive tags ready, ninjutsu ready..."
Both sides advanced towards the center of the battlefield and, upon reaching the range of ninjutsu and ninja tools, halted in unison.
"Release!"
Hatake Sakumo shouted in a deep voice, and the Leaf ninjas who were prepared immediately launched their attacks.
"Wind Style - Great Breakthrough!"
The combined Great Breakthrough jutsu unleashed by dozens of Wind Style ninjas created a hurricane that directly counteracted the desert winds of the Land of Wind, whipping up the sand and casting a hazy gloom as it surged towards the Sand forces.
"Fire Style - Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Fifty Uchiha clan members immediately stepped forward, and fifty fist-sized fireballs merged with the wind Style, forming a vast sea of flames. This, along with the subsequent barrage of kunai and shuriken tipped with explosive tags, accurately struck the Sand formation.
Facing the Leaf's powerful combined Wind and Fire attack, the Sand side did not hold back either.
"Wind Style - Great Breakthrough!"
A similar large-scale combined Wind Style jutsu, but the subsequent attacks differed from the Leaf's.
Mieko stepped forward, formed a series of hand seals with quick movements, and slammed her hands onto the ground.
"Sand Manipulation Jutsu - Sand Wall!"
A thick sand wall, entirely formed of yellow sand, rose abruptly. Driven by the Great Breakthrough jutsu, it charged headlong into the incoming assault.
"Rumble!"
Ninjutsu clashed, and the ignited explosive tags detonated with a roar. Burning sand particles flew everywhere, plunging the entire battlefield into a hazy yellow, severely limiting visibility.
However, this was not an insurmountable obstacle for either side; it presented an excellent offensive opportunity.
Uchiha clan ninjas simultaneously activated their Sharingan, while the Sand puppeteers controlled their puppets. Almost simultaneously, they broke through the blockade of the swirling yellow sand and clashed in the center of the battlefield.
Enemies meeting, eyes burning with hatred.
Without a word of exchange, they immediately engaged in a fierce melee.
The regular ninjas on both sides were not idle.
Led by the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, along with over a dozen massive Human Boulder Tanks, they charged forward with roars.
In an instant, the battlefield was consciously divided into three sections by the ninjas of both sides.
The Uchiha clan faced their old nemesis, the puppeteers, occupying one area; the regular ninjas, led by Ino-Shika-Cho, faced the Sand's regular ninjas in another.
The final section involved the commander, Hatake Sakumo, and the Sand village's couple.
"Zing!"
With a resonant hum, Sakumo's short sword was drawn. He used the Body Flicker Technique, initiating an aggressive assault on the two.
"So fast!"
Takuma and Mieko's expressions changed simultaneously. They immediately separated to their left and right, narrowly evading the strike.
"Sand Manipulation Jutsu - Quicksand!"
Mieko pressed her hands to the ground. The ground where Hatake Sakumo had appeared suddenly exerted a strong suction, attempting to pull him into the desert.
"Chakra Enhanced Secret Technique: Restrain!"
Takuma attacked simultaneously, controlling the red-clothed puppet beside him to instantly advance to Hatake Sakumo's side. Several chains rattled out from the puppet, flailing wildly towards Hatake Sakumo.
With no footing and a puppet attacking from behind, Sakumo's expression grew stern, yet his mind remained calm.
A flash of white light from his short sword sliced rapidly around him. The sword, crackling with lightning, severed the incoming chains with a single strike. He grabbed a chain with his left hand and swung it, turning the tables and binding the puppet's upper body. With a forceful tug, he used the momentum to disappear from his position with a Body Flicker.
Mieko, at a distance, gasped, her pupils constricting. "Be careful!"
Seeing Sakumo disappear, Takuma, without a moment's hesitation, controlled the chakra threads and instantly pulled the red-clothed puppet to his side.
"Shred!"
A flash of a blade, and the red-clothed puppet was sliced in two.
Hatake Sakumo's slightly regretful gaze appeared within Takuma's sight.
"Good swordsmanship!"
Takuma praised. With a flick of the chakra threads, the puppet that had split into two suddenly lunged from the ground, its sharp arm blades viciously thrusting towards Hatake Sakumo's back.
Hatake Sakumo parried with a backward sweep of his sword, severing the puppet's arm. He then advanced towards the retreating Takuma.
"You are not bad either!"